Bill Shankly, regarded as the greatest manager in the history of Liverpool Football Club and one of the greatest managers in the history of the game stepped down as manager of his beloved club on 12th July, 1974. The reason for him stepping down was that years of football had taken a toll on him and he had grown tired of the game.

After winning the 1974 FA Cup final which Liverpool won, Shankly decided that it was time to step down. He wrote in his autobiography that he, “felt tired from all the years.” Shankly’s granddaughter confirmed the notion in 2009 writing for The Observer, stating that, “I think that perhaps it was tiredness, that football had taken its toll on him.”

There is some romantic connection between No.7 jersey and football. Some of the top footballers in the world have donned No.7 jerseys in football and since then the number has become famous in mostly every sport.

Real Madrid created history as they won their third Champions League in a row as they defeated Liverpool 3-1 in the final at Kiev. Two goals from substitute Gareth Bale and a goal from Kari Benzema canceled Sadio Mane’s equaliser to help Spanish giants their 13th Spanish title.

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon announced on Thursday that he will be leaving the Italian football club after 17 years, a long career that has seen him become one of the world’s most recognizable faces in the sport.

If football is a religion, then money is a very important part of it in today’s time. Each week, millions of dollars change hands between clubs and players, fans and ticket offices, and sponsors and clubs. And money has taken over football in today’s time. Look at the squads of some teams which have every possible superstar in their squad. English Premier League is the most watched league in the world and the latest figure released show five out of 10 clubs have the most expensive squads in today’s time.

Bollywood stars and football is loved by thousands in the country. From Abhishek Bachchan to Ranbir Kapoor, from Amitabh Bachchan to Arjun Kapoor are die-hard football fans. Let’s have a look at which Bollywood actor supports which football club.

Eight of the footballers who were famously known as Busby Babes; Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Mark Jones, Duncan Edwards, Billy Whelan, Tommy Taylor, David Pegg and Geoff Bent lost their lives in the tragic Munich air disaster on 6th February 1958.

Manchester United has a very slim chance of catching Manchester City on top of the table this time around but Jose Mourinho will be hoping that next season Red Devils finally win the title which they last won in 2012-2013.

Steven Gerrard scored some of the most jaw-dropping long range efforts in the history of football. He was inspirational for Liverpool, winning them countless games with his goals, as well as his leadership on the pitch.

Jurgen Klopp’s side might offer a lifeline to Inter Milan outcast Gabriel Barbosa, as reports from the Italian news outlet Calciomercato claims that they are looking to add the attacker to their current squad on loan. Liverpool have not added too many stars to their current squad this summer, as they look to make their return to the Champions League and are still in the hunt to add more players to their current side.

The 20-year-old Brazilian international has failed to live up to expectations at the San Siro, after his £26.4m move to the Italian outfit, back in 2016. Due to this, he has not been a regular starter and has made a total of 9 appearances for Inter, scoring just once.

The Reds are now giving him the opportunity to revive his career in England if he can fit into the team at Anfield, under the German manager and perform at the top level. Further, it is the Bleacher Report that confirms that the Italian outfit are ready to go through with the idea of sending the player on loan to the Merseyside.

The move could be beneficial to both the Premier League outfit and the player as well, if he is able to perform well. Klopp had made enquiries about the player and it seems that Luciano Spalletti’s side are ready to oblige the former Borussia Dortmund manager. The attacker was not included in the playing eleven by three different managers at the club and was being linked with a move to Las Palmas this summer, along with a host of English sides too.

Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho has agreed personal terms with Barcelona and the only thing remaining to be discussed is the fee for the transfer, reports the Daily Mail via Catalan Radio RAC1.

Barcelona’s pursuit of the Brazilian has been well documented for a couple of years now. Quite recently, they lodged a €80m (£72m) for the attacker, only to get rejected by the Merseysiders. Although the player himself hasn’t said anything about the transfer, his manager, Jurgen Klopp and strictly warned the Catalans, saying that he is not for sale at any price.

“If I say he is not for selling, he is not for selling”, Klopp was quoted by the Daily Mail. “There is nothing else to say. It’s a club decision, it’s my decision. That’s how it is.”

Liverpool have completed the signing of Andrew Robertson from Hull City for a reported fee of £8m, the club have officially confirmed. The 23-year-old left-back has penned a long-term contract with the Reds.

Liverpool’s pursuit for a left-back was well documented given the fact that they were monitoring Fulham’s teenager Ryan Sessegnon, but the 17-year-old opted to sign a new extension with the Craven Cottage outfit instead. Robertson is Liverpool’s third summer signing after Dominic Solanke and Mohamed Salah.

Having a perfect Premier League experience, Robertson can well take the first team mantle ahead of James Milner next season. However, with his arrival, it is all but certain that Alberto Moreno will be packing his bags from the Anfield. The Reds are ready to listen to offers for the former Sevilla man but are holding on to their £15 million price tag. Serie A outfit Napoli lodged a £11 million offer for the Spaniard but was firmly rejected by the Reds.

Liverpool have taken a hard stance against Barcelona’s pursuit of their star man Philippe Coutinho, telling the Spanish club that the Brazilian attacker is not for sale at any price, as per reports from the Daily Telegraph.

It is understood that Barcelona have hinted they are willing to offer as much as £72 million to pry Coutinho away from the clutches of Liverpool, but the Reds are going to reject all offers from the Catalans. This development comes on the back of the reports that Paris Saint-Germain are planning to trigger the €222 million release clause of Barca’s Neymar, which has spurred them into acting in the transfer market.

However, Liverpool are under no pressure to sell Coutinho and have made it clear that they will not be entertaining any offers for the 25-year old, who signed a new five-year contract with the club only in January earlier this year.

According to a recent report from Sky Sports, the owner of RB Leipzig, Dietrich Mateschitz, has revealed that the Bundesliga outfit has rejected an offer of £66m from an unknown club for their 22-year-old central midfielder Naby Keita. The player, who has been wanted by Liverpool for quite some time now, is a high-quality star and Klopp wants him to be part of his squad, prior to the start of the new campaign.

Despite the strong interest coming from the Reds, Leipzig has stuck to their stand and do not wish to let go of the player easily, at least that is the message that they are sending out. In a recent interview, Mateschitz confirmed that the club recently turned down an offer that was made for the midfielder’s services by an unnamed club. The player is still quite young and in the interview given to German publication Bild, Mateschitz stated that the club would not sell its talented young stars just for the sake of making money.

Liverpool have officially unveiled their third kit for the 2017-18 season, a bright orange colour with slight elements of black. The models for the jersey were James Milner, Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho; who posed with the jerseys in a similar photoshoot to the ones shot for Liverpool’s main jersey. The club describes the colour as ‘bold citrus’, although the appearance has more resemblance to a civil services uniform. A bold design indeed, but one that doesn’t quite look as striking on the field as their other jerseys for the 2017-18 season.

The kits will be worn for the first time in their Premier League Asia Trophy game against Crystal Palace on July 19th. The shirt, shorts and socks all have the orange colour with a black trim, which some say is more reminiscent of the League Two club Barnet than the Liverpool team. The kit also features a tribute to the 125 years anniversary, with a special edition club crest, a No. 96 and pair of torches on the back of the neck to commemorate the victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

The goalkeeper kit, modelled by Simon Mignolet, is a similar bright fluorescent colour, a ‘toxic green’ according to the club’s description. It has a diamond pattern on the sleeves and a black band around the socks.

Liverpool are closing in on their third transfer of the summer, as Hull City left-back Andrew Robertson edges close to a move to Anfield, after the player left the Tigers’ warm training camp in Portugal, according to reports from the Mirror.

The 23-year old is expected to complete a £8 million transfer to the Merseyside club, once he successfully completes a medical.

The Reds have been in the market in search for a new left-back and have been linked with various names over the summer. However, speculations regarding Robertson’s transfer gained significant traction over the last two weeks.

Jurgen Klopp is keen on adding him to the squad, in order to provide competition to veteran James Milner, who emerged as the club’s undisputed first-choice left-back last season. With the possibility of Champions League football on the horizon, the German needs to add depth to his squad and Robertson will be a solid option.

Having joined the Tigers back in 2014, from Scottish club Dundee United, for a fee of £3 million, Robertson has made 115 appearances for Hull. The Scotland international was one of the few players that had a decent season for Hull last season, that ended in relegation for the club. He featured 39 times in all competitions, scoring a solitary goal and registering three assists.

Liverpool have been trying their best to sign some new stars, along with keeping hold of their old ones after yet another trophyless campaign. Jurgen Klopp’s side failed to win a title once again, though they did manage to secure a Champions League spot. With that said and done, the Reds were eager to retain 23-year-old German international Emre Can at Anfield and it seems that their efforts have worked. The midfielder has agreed to sign a new five year deal with the Merseyside outfit now, which would be great news for the fans.

The young star, who moved to England from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2014 is now considering to commit his long term future to his present club. With a total of 32 appearances in the league, scoring five times and claiming a couple of assists to his name last season, the player was an asset to his side in the previous season.

It has now been confirmed that Lazio have completed a £5m deal with Premier League side Liverpool, to sign former Brazilian international Lucas Leiva. The 30-year-old midfield superstar must now agree on personal terms with the Serie A outfit and clear his medical, in order to complete a move to Italy, after falling down the pecking order at Anfield.

His career has not progressed the way he would have liked it to in recent times and he planned to leave the Reds for quite some time now.

Things seem to have finally worked out and the former Gremio man might finally leave the Merseyside outfit and look to sort out his future away from the club.

Premier League giants Liverpool had recently made an offer in order to bring Naby Keïta to Anfield, from Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig, though it was rejected. The sum that the Reds were ready to pay for his services was said to be £57m, though the German outfit dismissed the proposal made to them by the Merseyside club. It was further stated that Leipzig claim that they have no intention of selling their young star anytime soon, which might be really disappointing for the club from England.

Manager Jurgen Klopp would want to win more titles in the upcoming campaign with the Merseyside outfit and would have hoped that the deal would have gone through, which would boost his team’s chances.

It has been now confirmed that The North London giants Arsenal are also a part of the race to sign Virgil van Dijk from Premier League outfit Southampton (Metro Sport), as the Gunners look to add even more quality to their current squad. The Saints’ star would cost the club a fee of around £60m-70m, as per the claims and could become their costliest that they signed if the deal does indeed go through.

Arsene Wenger’s team did not have a great previous season and will now want to improve, as they want to win more titles after their FA Cup triumph last term. The French manger has been looking to sign someone for a long time, who can fortify his back-line and make them solid defensively.

He is now looking to add t26-year-oldold centre-back to his current squad and if the move is completed, it could be a huge boost for the club. The player, who is wanted by the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City, now has another big club from England right on his tail and things are looking interesting, in this transfer saga.

The Holland international is quite experienced and has played for Celtic in the past as well, with more than 50 appearances, scoring nine goals. The defensive superstar would be a great addition to any of them teams that he joins, which is the main reason why all these English giants seem desperate to add him to their team.

Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk has issued an ultimatum to the club, that the only side he wants to move to is Liverpool, as per reports from the Mirror.

The 26-year old, who has been on the Reds’ radar for months now, has told the Saints that he wants to play in the UEFA Champions League and wants do so with Liverpool only, leaving the South Coast club in a bit of a quandary.

Southampton have no intention of selling their star centre-half and had earlier reported Liverpool to the Premier League for “tapping up” the Dutchman. Following this, the Reds issued a public apology to the Saints and withdrew their interest in Van Dijk last month. However, manager Jurgen Klopp still remains keen on signing the giant defender and harbours hopes of getting a deal done before the transfer window closes.

The Saints’ new manager, Mauricio Pellegrino, wants to keep hold of Van Dijk at the St. Mary’s but also doesn’t want an unhappy player in his squad, due to which, he might be open to a sale. However, with just Liverpool the only firm party, they find themselves in a sticky situation.

There had been reported interest in the Netherlands international from Premier League champions Chelsea and UEFA Europa League winners Manchester United, but since then the Blues have moved on and are close to signing Antonio Rudiger from AS Roma, while United have brought in Victor Lindelof from SL Benfica. Manchester City too have been credited with an interest, but there has been nothing concrete from Pep Guardiola’s side either.

Liverpool have a rich European history and could compete in the UEFA Champions League this season if they win their playoff game. Under Jurgen Klopp, the club has made progress – in terms of teamwork, an ability to dominate oppositions and the integration of youth in the first-team squad. Inconsistency has hampered the team, and the lack of a strong squad depth made the team vulnerable to defeat when their best players were rotated or injured. The lack of a backup plan when teams would sit back and defend was glaringly obvious in the latter half of the season.

This season, Liverpool have plenty to play for. For one, they need to finish in the top-four and prove that their European sojourn is not a flash in the pan. With other teams strengthening their squads in light of the massive payoffs received from the FA, Liverpool need to add quality faces to their squad to compete in simultaneous competitions this season. They need to prepare an alternative plan to help them break down defences and score goals, in addition to the heavy metal, gegenpressing style of play. The fans have taken to Klopp, the players give him their all and the management sees signs of progress under him.

Liverpool tie down youngster with a new long-term contract, PSG identify Liverpool star as their second key target behind Kylian Mbappe, the Reds’ pursuit of Bundesliga midfielder hits a major roadblock, with club adamant of not selling, while Jurgen Klopp is set to lose out Tottenham in the race for German starlet and the club remains confident about getting £30 million for unwanted man – here’s everything latest from Liverpool’s transfer news;

Trent Alexander-Arnold Signs A New Contract

Right-back Trent-Alexander Arnold has signed a new five-year contract with Liverpool, just eight months after signing a new deal with the club.

The 18-year old had penned a new five-year deal earlier in November 2016, but the club have rewarded Arnold with another improved five-year contract after his impressive performances over the course of the 2016/17 season. The full-back made his debut for Liverpool in October last year, in a EFL Cup encounter against Tottenham Hotspur and went on to make 12 appearances over the course of the season.

“Trent sets the tone for everything he does with his attitude and character,” the Reds’ boss Jurgen Klopp told Liverpool’s official website.

“He commits to everything he does: he wants to learn, he wants to grow, he wants to develop and his focus is absolutely in the right place.”

A new defensive target emerges for Jurgen Klopp, Crystal Palace not willing to meet Liverpool’s valuation for unwanted man, legend says Reds shouldn’t be overawed by midfield target’s price-tag while the player’s current club says they are “immune” to offers and Klopp will manage Bayern Munich in the future says a former Bayern boss – all this in today’s Liverpool news round-up;

Klopp Make £14.9m Bid For Lyon’s Mammana

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has sanctioned a £14.9 million bid for Olympique Lyon defender Emanuel Mammana. The German is keen to bolster his ranks ahead of the next season and sees a new centre-back as a vital addition, in order to mount a title challenge and fare strongly in the Champions League.

The club had previously been eyeing Michael Keane, but the former Burnley man completed a move to Reds’ local rivals Everton, leaving Klopp to turn his attention towards Mammana. The 21-year old Argentina international joined the French club only in the last summer and went on to make 17 Ligue 1 appearances.

Liverpool are willing to offer the 21-year-old centre-back a five-year-deal worth £54,000-per-week in wages to move to Merseyside. (Express)

Rumours are interesting. They are even more fascinating when a humungous fee is involved. In this extremely inflated market where the clubs are demanding nothing less than £50-£60m, Liverpool are stuck in a dilemma as to whether splash the club record fee for the second time this season or not. Reports have been doing rounds that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has set his sights on RB Leipzig’s 22-year-old midfielder Naby Keita, who was a complete revelation for a club that defied all odds last season.

It’s a regular thing in a sport like football that a club sets their sights on a player, who is rated high by the parent club and the story eventually dries up. This, however, isn’t the case this time around as Jurgen Klopp rates the Guinea international high and is willing to paddle up the negotiation in order to bring him in. But here’s the catch, Leipzig does not want any of their first team players leave the club, having acquired the Champions League spot last season, and have slapped a whopping £70m price tag on his head. Yet, Liverpool are interested in negotiating the move and are set to meet Leipzig’s official in coming days.

But the million dollar, or pound, whatever… question is why Klopp is so interested in signing him? Is he worth £70m? Where will he fit in at Liverpool?

Well, for the starters, let me give you a brief introduction of the player. Keita came into limelight while he was plying his trade in the Austrian top division side Red Bull Salzburg. Two years on, 2016, he made a £12.75m move to Salzburg’s sister-club RB Leipzig, who were just promoted to Bundesliga, and the rest, as they say, is ‘Goldust’. Making 31 appearances in the league itself, Keita, who was deployed as a deep-lying playmaker for the majority of the season, managed eight goals and seven assists.

Chelsea stepping up transfer business with three deals in the pipeline, Manchester United move for Spanish striker closing in after showdown talks with current club, Liverpool’s top priority in the transfer market also set for crunch talks with present club, Everton identify Premier League striker to replace Romelu Lukaku and James Rodriguez has made a decision on which club he wants to join; all this in our today’s transfer round-up;

Premier League champions Chelsea are on the verge of completing three transfer deals in this week, with AS Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, Juventus left-back Alex Sandro and AS Roma defender Antonio Rudiger are all set to move to the Stamford Bridge. The Blues will be shelling out a total of £130 million to finalize the three deals.

Manager Antonio Conte had earlied told the club that he wants his full squad available before the club heads out for pre-season and it looks like he will be getting his wishes, with Chelsea all set to complete most of their important transfer business quite early.

On this day in 2007, Liverpool broke their transfer record by bringing in one of the best and natural finishers, Fernando Torres for a fee of around £20million.

Known for his boyish looks and flashy pace, Torres progressed through Atletico Madrid’s youth academy before making his debut for the Ros Lojiblancos in 2001. He then went on to spend seven seasons with the club, making near to 250 appearances and scoring 91 goals. Soon after the 2006 World Cup, Torres sensationally revealed that he rejected an offer to join Chelsea at the end of 2005-06 season.

Only a year later, Atletico Madrid agreed terms with Liverpool for Fernando Torres and the Spaniard moved to Merseyside for the club’s then world record fee. To fill the void, Atletico bought Uruguay’s Diego Forlan from Villarreal. Liverpool, on their official website, stated that the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal were vying to acquire his signature, but Torres’ desire to sign for the Reds was confirmed when a phrase ‘We’ll Never Walk Alone’ was spotted on the inside of his captain’s armband while playing for Atletico Madrid.

Philippe Coutinho is on his summer break from football and the midfielder has been busy meeting his Liverpool teammates, he took Alberto Moreno on a trip to his home country earlier in the month and later attended Roberto Firmino’s wedding. Coutinho was spotted in a photo on social media with Firmino again, this time with Barcelona star forward Neymar in Brazil. Neymar had just recently spent time with Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus and now appeared in a party mood, with a red bandana and bling, in front of a city sky-line. Firmino captioned the image on Instagram as ‘The hex is calling.’

The three players are taking a break after their matches for Brazil post end of season. They lost to Argentina but beat Australia in a friendly match. Firmino and Coutinho will put their best foot forward in the Champions League qualifiers next season following Liverpool making it into the top four previously. The duo will be joined by a new teammate following a transfer deal for Mohamed Salah for a whopping £90,000, the most expensive signing by Liverpool in history. Liverpool may also sign Virgin Van Dijk, adding to their expensive list of players.

Manchester United ace rubbishes report of a move to Premier League rival, Bournemouth close in on two transfers, Real Madrid refute claims of negotiations with United over star man’s transfer, Chelsea receive boost in pursuit of Serie A defender and Liverpool’s veteran midfielder in discussion with Turkish club over a move – all this in our today’s Premier League transfer round-up;

Martial Rubbishes Rumours Linking Him With Arsenal

Manchester United forward Anthony Martial has dismissed rumours that he wants to leave the club for Premier League rivals Arsenal.

Reports emerged last weekend, linking the Frenchman with a sensational £40 million move to the Emirates Stadium, following a below par season under Jose Mourinho. But Martial has poured cold water on any such speculations, claiming them as “false” on his social media account.

“The rumours are false”, wrote Martial on his Twitter page.

Les rumeurs sont fausses ??

— Anthony Martial (@AnthonyMartial) June 28, 2017
United made Martial the most expensive teenager when they signed him from Monaco for a £36 million fee in 2015, with that set to rise up close to £58 million, should the 21-year old succeed at the Old Trafford. After a sensational debut campaign, he faded away a little in the previous campaign under Mourinho and was even linked with a January exit to Sevilla. Martial still has two years left on his contract with the Red Devils.

Liverpool to make an offer for versatile Arsenal midfielder, while they name their price for unwanted winger who is chased by Watford. The Reds are set to escape punishment for allegedly tapping up Premier League defender and they rule out interest in Napoli left-back; all this in today’s Liverpool transfer round-up:

£25 Million Bid For Oxlade-Chamberlain Expected

Liverpool are set to make a £25 million bid for Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as the club made a first step towards a transfer by launching an enquiry.

The 23-year old is on top of Jurgen Klopp’s wish-list, who is supposedly a fan of the Englishman’s versatility. And while Arsenal are in no mood to sell, they may well be forced to consider a transfer, as the Ox is set to enter the final year of his contract with the club. With no real progress made in negotiations over a new deal, the England international has grown frustrated and may seek an exit.

Chelsea and Manchester City are also monitoring the situation, but seems like Liverpool have made the first move in a potential bidding war. (Mirror)

Zlatan Ibrahimovi? to receive contract offer from Spanish giants, German youngster makes revelation that he refused Liverpool, Manchester United have made a contract offer for Serie A midfield powerhouse, Leicester City keen on young Premier League striker and West Ham United to break transfer record for Arsenal man – all this in our today’s Premier League transfer round-up;

Atletico Madrid To Offer Ibrahimovi? A Contract

Spanish club Atletico Madrid are considering offering a contract to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, to add their options in attack once their transfer ban is lifted.

The Rojiblancos were close on signing Alexandre Lacazette from Olympique Lyon, but with their transfer ban upheld, the move fell through. Now the Frenchman reportedly heading to Arsenal, Atletico are left searching for strikers and have zeroed in on the giant Swede, who is currently a free agent, after he was released by Manchester United earlier this month.

Ibrahimovic, 35, had an excellent first and only season for United as he managed to score 28 goals from 46 appearances, until a knee injury cut his season short in April. The former PSG striker is currently recuperating from his injury at United’s Carrington facility. His huge wage demands could prove to be a stumbling block for Atletico. (AS)

Liverpool monitoring Germany U-21 star very closely, Juventus to target Premier League full-back as Alex Sandro nears an exit, Swansea City reject a bid from Everton for star attacker, Arsenal and Manchester City working on a sensational swap deal and Bournemouth close to agreeing deal with Chelsea for another Blues’ player – all this in today’s Premier League transfer round-up;

Liverpool Scouting Max Meyer In U21 Euros

Liverpool are monitoring Germany starlet Max Meyer at the U-21 European Championships that are going on in Poland.

The Schalke winger, was reportedly a transfer target for the Reds and despite having signed Mohamed Salah from AS Roma last week, Jurgen Klopp remains keen on the youngster as he is aware of the loads of promise and potential that he possesses. Meyer has just a year left on his current deal with Schalke and is widely expected to leave, for a fee less than £20 million and Liverpool have a whole contingent of scouts watching Meyer in Poland, where he is currently representing the U-21s at the European championships.

A full Germany international, Meyer was the captain of the Germany team that won the silver medal at the Rio Olympics last year. (Daily Star)

Chelsea to spend heavily on Juventus duo, Arsenal decide to sell midfielder to rivals, Manchester United star struggling to ascertain future, while a bid for Barcelona defender is expected from the Red Devils and finally Liverpool learn hw much they will have to shell out to sign top transfer target – all this in our today’s Premier League transfer round-up:

Chelsea To Spend £96m on Bonucci and Alex Sandro

Premier League champions Chelsea are set to raid Antonio Conte’s former club and Serie A title holders Juventus for defenders Leonardo Bonucci and Alex Sandro with a whopping £96 million offer for the services of the duo.

There have been reports in Italy suggesting that the Old Lady are willing to listen to offers in the range of £45 million for Bonucci, widely regarded as one of the finest centre-halves currently in the game. Conte sees the Italian as the man to take over the mantle of the leadership of the team following John Terry’s exit. And the Italian champions also revealed that there has been a big offer for the services of left-back Sandro. The Brazilian, 26, has been told he will have to request a move away for the club to sanction any transfer. (Daily Mail)

Liverpool have officially completed the signing of Mohamed Salah from AS Roma on a long-term contract for a club-record fee that could rise to £43.9m if the certain expectations are met, reports the Guardian.

The Egyptian international was firmly chased by the Merseysiders and initially made a £28m bid for their 24-year-old, but Roma rejected their offer claiming that he is worth more than that. The Italian outfit, who signed Salah back in August 2016 for a reported fee of around £13m from Chelsea, have made a pretty decent profit by his sale. Liverpool, on their part, have completed their second summer signing, after roping up Chelsea’s Dominic Solanke.

Liverpool’s interest in Salah is pretty more obvious given the fact that a prospect of Champions League football is knocking on their doors. Hence, a sustainable depth in their attacking unit was a must. Salah will bring the needed pace and will certainly be a top quality addition for Liverpool. Ther Merseysiders, who have paid an initial amount of £36.9m for the Egyptian, have made Salah their most expensive player, surpassing the £35m arrival of Andy Carroll from Newcastle United back in January 2011.

The 23-year-old Serbian international, who joined Liverpool back in 2014 for a reported fee of £20 million under the tutelage of Brendan Rodgers, never really stationed himself in Jurgen Klopp’s tactics and in August 2016, he was shipped out to Sporting Lisbon on a season-long loan. However, with the lack of first-team opportunities, he was called back in January 2017 and was immediately loaned out to the fellow Premier League side, Hull City.

Working under Marco Silva at Hull, Markovic established himself as a regular feature and went on to make 14 appearances, scoring two goals, and quite rightly impressed the Portuguese tactician. And now with Silva at Watford, the Hornets have expressed their desire in bringing the winger at Vicarage Road. Markovic, however, might not come cheap as Liverpool will look to recoup the £20 million they paid for the Serbian as much as possible.

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool are still hopeful of landing AS Roma’s 24-year-old attacker Mohamed Salah, but the Italian outfit are standing firm with their price tag of £35 million for the Egyptian, reports the Daily Telegraph.

It certainly isn’t a secret anymore that Liverpool are pursuing the former Chelsea man and with the prospect of the Champions League football next season knocking their doors, a sustainable depth will be Klopp’s priority. Liverpool fans witnessed a major dip in their form at the time when both Coutinho and Mane were nursing their respective injuries and should the same occurrence take place next year, Salah will come quite handy.

Just a few days back, Liverpool launched an initial offer of £28m for the Egyptian – who scored a massive 19 goals and 12 assists last season – but the capital club firmly rejected their bid, claiming that he is worth more than that – £35 million to be specific. Should the Merseyside club agree to pay the fee, Salah will become their most expensive signing (will equal the fee paid to Newcastle United back in January 2011 to acquire the signature of Andy Carroll). And in case you don’t know, this isn’t the first time the Reds are vying to acquire his signature as back in 2014, Liverpool went head to head with Chelsea in the negotiation, but the Egyptian eventually decided to join the latter for a reported fee of £11 million.

The opening week of the Premier League sets a tone. Well, that’s what we think most of the time. However, it cannot really be applied practically. A defeat can certainly bring down all the moral, but some teams have defied the odds. To be specific, Manchester United lost their opening games of the 1992/93, 1995/96 and 2012/13 season, but went on to lift the trophy eventually. And Sky has quite rightly quoted that “the opening game is more of an indicator of past success than future glory”.

The English League has always been a topsy-turvy ride and the new 2017-18 season will be no exception. With the fixtures (of the new season) now out, here we take a look at some of the biggest matches of the season.

Note: The list has been quoted as vice-versa (for example: In Arsenal vs Liverpool, the away leg has been mentioned in the same)

Arsenal vs Liverpool –

The London derby always keeps its spectators on toe and expect some fireworks this time around as well. The stats have never supported Wenger’s men as Arsenal have lost three of their last four opening fixtures, Remeber the 4-3 thrashing at hands of Liverpool last season? To add further to their misery, Arsenal have collected more red cards than any other Premier League team on the opening weekend, 6 to be specific.

On August 26th, a trip to the Anfield has been scheduled. Last season’s opening day defeat will be in their mind if they tend to take any sort of revenge. The return leg, at the Emirates, will be concluded in the year itself as the Reds will travel to London on two days before Christmas (December 23).

Completing the 2016-17 season on a comparatively high, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have already begun their preparation for the upcoming assay of the 2017-18 season of the highly anticipated Premier League. Their topsy-turvy ride in the recently concluded campaign marked out the refinements needed to be done in their not-so-shrewd squad. Squaring off the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea early in the squad, inconsistency eventually showed off, followed by a couple of injury scars and the season got off the track a bit.

Courtesy to the prospect of Champions League football, Liverpool still are capable of attracting top names of the industry. However, there is no denying the fact that not every player is meant to play the ‘Klopp’s way’. His style of play, which include high intensity pressing and running around circles, means fatigue is sure to take its toll on the players’ body. His style is fluid as anything and not just requires the physical strength, but a complete mental awareness as well. Hence, a clever transfer business is what Liverpool require.

First things first, the primary intent should be the defensive end of the pitch. Starting from the number one spot, both Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius have time and again shown their inability to run the defence. Besides, defending a set piece has always been a major crater for the Merseysiders. To overcome this muddle, one way or the other, they are widely tipped to make a move for an established central defender. With the Virgil can Dijk saga put to rest, the likes of Stefan de Vrij, Lazio, and Ben Gibson, Middlesbrough, are linked with the club. With the former carrying loads of top class experience, the former is a proven Premier League serve. Klopp needs to decide.

In today’s Premier League round-up, we will take a sneak peek at Liverpool’s interest in another Southampton star, while two of the London clubs are battling in to sign one-time Bundesliga’s hottest properties, followed by Chelsea’s massive €50m interest in Juventus’ full back. Then we’ll travel to White Hart Lane, where one of their stars is linked with a move to France and finally, Ronald Koeman’s Everton are pursuing one of the unsung heroes of the Eredivisie. All this in today’s edition of the Premier League round-up of Sportswallah.

Liverpool are ready to break their transfer record this summer by offering Arsenal near to £40 million to acquire the signature of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as per the reports from Metro Sport.

Liverpool are in, no doubts, a dire need of an attacking reinforcement as the prospect of the Champions League football from next season is knocking their doors, hence, the pursuit of Chamberlain sure make sense. With Arsenal, on their part, looking to bring in some of the best names of the industry, the 23-year-old’s game time will no doubt hinder at the Emirates.

However, luring him to the Anfield will not be an easy task as many reports have claimed that the Gunners are ready to offer him a new deal which will see him earning near to £100,000 a week. However, what gives Liverpool an upper hand in the negotiation is their capability of providing Chamberlain a central midfield spot and also the temptation of the Champions League football. The Englishman was deployed as a right wing back for the majority of the second half of the season, hence, he is well expected to assess his offers before reaching a final decision.

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have apologized to Southampton regarding the recent rift involving the Merseyside club and Southampton’s defender Virgil van Dijk. A few days back, the Guardian reported that Liverpool are ready to pay Southampton’s asking price of £60m and were also ready to match their rivals by offering him a wage pack of as much as £200,000 a week. Besides that, the player himself told Liverpool he wants to join them this summer and hence, the South Coast club were left furious with the reports and asked Premier League to investigate the illegal approach made by Liverpool.

Following all this, the Merseysiders have released an official statement regarding the entire framework and has said that they have dropped off their interest in the Dutch defender.

“Liverpool Football Club would like to put on record our regret over recent media speculation regarding Southampton Football Club and player transfers between the two clubs,” the statement read. “We apologise to the owner, board of directors and fans of Southampton for any misunderstanding regarding Virgil van Dijk. We respect Southampton’s position and can confirm we have ended any interest in the player.”

Serie A side AS Roma have rejected Liverpool’s £28m bid for their 24-year-old attacker Mohamed Salah, as per the reports from Sky Sports. The same source, however, has further added that both Liverpool and Roma are still in talks, negotiating a fee to complete the transfer.

Salah, who scored a whopping 19 goals and managed to bag 12 assists to his name this season, certainly has a bit part experience of the Premier League, having plying his trade with Chelsea a few years back. His tenure, however, was branded as a massive failure as he failed to deliver what was expected. Eventually, he was shipped off to Fiorentina on a season-long loan, before spending a second tenure as a loanee at AS Roma. Soon after his exploits in the 2015-16 season, where he scored 15 goals in all competition, Roma decided to make his stay a permanent one for a reported fee of €15 million. But Liverpool, on their part, will have to pay more than what Roma paid for his signature.

Liverpool set to lose out on top target, Chelsea eyeing a move for French goalkeeper to replace Asmir Begovic while one of their promising youngsters is being monitored by French side Olympique Lyon, Zlatan Ibrahimovic makes revelation about his future and Tiemoue Bakayoko in negotiations with a Premier League club – all this in our today’s Premier League transfer round-up;

Liverpool To Lose Ryan Sessegnon

Liverpool face more hurdles in their pursuit of Fulham’s young left-back Ryan Sessegnon as Tottenham Hotspur have intensified their interests in the 17-year old.

Jurgen Klopp has been planning a move for Sessegnon for some time now, but with Danny Rose’s future uncertain, Spurs have made the England youth international a primary target. The fact that the youngster will remain in London, if he moves to Tottenham is said to be the deciding factor while a chance to work with Mauricio Pochettino, who has shown great success in developing young talent is said to be another important factor. Looks like Liverpool are set to miss out on yet another target.

Liverpool have agreed a fee of around £3 million with Chelsea to acquire the signature of their 19-year-old attacker Dominic Solanke, as per the reports from Daily Telegraph.

It is fairly understood that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has always prioritized giving young guns their fair share of chances, hence, Solanke might finally get his well-deserved exposure and given his style of play, it is fair to say that he will be a good signing for Liverpool, who are well expected to ply their nails in the Champions League next season.

Last year, Telegraph reported that the youngster demanded a £50,000-per-week deal as well as first-team spot, hence the extension was put on hold by both the parties. Of course, he hasn’t received such a lucrative deal with Liverpool as he will only be earning £20,000 a week, but the possibility of him getting the first-team opportunity is much higher with the Merseysiders.

Furthermore, Liverpool have made their intentions of being an aggressive party in the upcoming transfer market very clear and if the reports are to be believed, they have already marked down the targets they will be after. RB Leipzig’s Naby Keïta is one of the many targets Jurgen Klopp is after, while Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain’s £20m move to Anfield is still fresh in air.

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool squad had a short time to stay and experience Australia after their friendly against Sydney which they won 3-0. After the match, the team had a bit of a trip into Australian culture; Jurgen Klopp went to visit Walumil Lawn near Sydney Harbour Bridge and learnt a little about Australian aboriginal culture in a short tour. The Aborigines of Australia are the first inhabitants of Australia and are a prominent part of Australia’s diversity.
Jurgen Klopp played the didgeridoo, but unfortunately seemed to not have enough breath to do it right. He instead jokingly used the didgeridoo as a telescope. He also tried a bullroarer, an instrument played by striking a small piece of wood on the end of a cord.
Klopp also got his hand on some tribal weaponry, first up were Aboriginal spears which the manager tried to projectile throw into the air. The other weaponry were boomerangs, also used for hunting.
The Liverpool boss was joined by chief executive Peter Moore to perform with traditional ‘Muggera’ dancers, something they both mimicked quite effectively.

In today’s transfer round-up, we look at Pablo Zabaleta’s move as part of Manchester City’s enforced player exodus, at Andrea Ranocchia’s exit in light of Inter Milan’s transfer aims to aid their season objectives, at Liverpool’s early transfer business and at the Wayne Rooney conundrum.

Pablo Zabaleta’s exit: knocking down a pillar of the Mansour reign

Pablo Zabaleta was one of the first players to be bought to signal the shift in footballing power within Manchester. As one of City’s first purchases, he made himself an asset to the club over the past nine years and a fan favourite by being one of the supporters, as per The Guardian.

One of the problems plaguing Manchester City is the mercenaries – the journeymen, who use a transfer to City as a stepping-stone to something better. From the manager down to the players to the fans, the club seems to lack influential figures, and Zabaleta being moved out signals the loss of another pillar of the club. His move to West Ham, who are in search of defenders who can establish leadership from the back after the debacle of this season, will give him an opportunity to stay in the Premier League and not uproot.

Arsenal defender reveals he almost left the club in January, Chelsea kick off summer with a new contract for a player, Liverpool to be spend heavily in the transfer market, Manchester City midfield target snubs them to move to France and former Chelsea and City target signs a new long-term deal with club – all this in our today’s Premier League transfer round-up;

Holding Almost Left Arsenal In January On Loan

Arsenal’s young defender Rob Holding has revealed that he could have left the club in January on loan, but Arsene Wenger’s show of faith made him stay.

A lot of Championship clubs were keen on availing the services of the defender during the mid-season window, who had been struggling for game time after having arrived in the summer from Bolton Wanderers for £2 million. But the player admitted that it was Wenger who convinced him to stay put. In an interview with Standard, he said:

“I didn’t leave in January as the boss wanted me around the team. He saw me playing.

AC Milan extracted their revenge on Liverpool for the miracle of Istanbul by beating Liverpool 2-1 in the final of the 2007 UEFA Champions League at the Olympic stadium in Greece on 23rd May, 2007. Milan took an early lead thanks to an Andrea Pirlo free-kick which deflected off Filippo Inzaghi. Inzaghi then doubled Milan’s lead in the 82nd minute. Dirk Kuyt scored a late goal in the 89th minute but despite sustained pressure from the Reds, Liverpool could not equalize in the dying minutes, with Milan holding out to win their 7th European Cup.

Much of the build to the match was centered around the historic match between the final between the two teams in 2005 in Istanbul, where Liverpool despite being 3-0 down in the first half, ended up equalizing 3-3 and winning the match on penalties. When Dirk Kuyt equalized in the 89th minute, people were wondering whether AC Milan would again crumble under pressure and concede the equalizer. But the Milanese outfit showed typical Italian grit and steel to hold on in the final minutes to clinch their 7th and so far their last European trophy to make them the most successful Italian club in European competitions.

Liverpool and Chelsea to fight it out for Serie A defender, Jose Mourinho eyes reunion with midfielder from former club, Tottenham willing to let go of first-teamer for £40 million, Manchester City leading the race for versatile defender from Ligue 1 and Champions League finalists Real Madrid targeting a move for midfield powerhouse from the Premier League – all this in the today’s transfer round-up of the Premier League;

Chelsea, Liverpool Still In For Koulibaly

Premier League champions Chelsea and rivals Liverpool are set to go head to head in the race for Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly.

The Frenchman has been long linked with a move to the Premier League, with Chelsea reportedly having a bid rejected last summer. And since then, Koulibaly has gone on to sign a new contract with the Partenopei extending his stay till June 2021. However, that hasn’t stopped the Blues from plotting an approach in the upcoming window, and Liverpool to have seemed to join the hunt.

Last month, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis left the door open for an exit in the summer. He was quoted as saying, by The Sun:

“If there’s a new offer from Chelsea for Koulibaly? It will depend on the player’s will, because if he doesn’t want to stay then he can leave.”

Koulibaly, if he does decide to leave, will not come cheaply and will cost in excess of £50 million.

Liverpool have a huge bid for French sensation rejected, interests from Italy emerge for Arsenal’s midfield target from Ligue 1, Kurt Zouma wanted by French club, Chelsea line up Diego Costa replacement from the Bundesliga and Mauricio Pochettino makes a strong statement regarding the future of his players – all this in our today’s Premier League transfer round-up;

Liverpool Have £64m Bid Rejected For Mbappe

Ligue 1 champions have rejected a huge £64 million bid for teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe from Premier League giants Liverpool.

The Reds are heavily interested in the 18-year old striker who has taken the European footballing scenes by storm this season. However, Monaco have no intention of selling their star and want to keep him for at least another season. But the reports also claim that a bid in the range of £85 million may get them interested. However, sources from ESPN claim that there was no such approach made from Jurgen Klopp’s men.

Liverpool are close to a return to Champions League for the next season and no doubt Mbappe will an excellent addition, but the news of a bid does seem to be an attempt to drive the player’s price higher. (Marca)

Everton closing in on two summer arrivals, Manchester United target reveals he is happy at his current club, Liverpool set to announce defender’s signing when transfer window opens and Arsenal planning a big-money raid for two Premier League players – all this in our today’s transfer round-up for the Premier League.

Everton Leading Race for Sandro Ramirez

Everton are primed to seal the signature of Malaga striker Sandro Ramirez ahead of competitors Tottenham Hotspur and Sevilla.

As per latest reports, the Toffees have agreed personal terms over a summer move with the former Barcelona attacker. Sandro, 21, has been a hit since his move to Malaga in the summer, scoring 16 goals and registering 4 assists. Tottenham have been long-time admirers of the Spaniard, but with Everton resigned on losing star striker Romelu Lukaku, they have moved in ahead of the chasing pack to almost close the deal.

Barcelona plotting a sensational move to bring back former academy graduate, Bournemouth confident of holding on to star midfielder, while their defender continues to attract interest from Premier League bigwigs, newly promoted Brighton targeting veteran Liverpool midfielder and Alexis Sanchez and Diego Costa set for a union – the latest from the tabloids in today’s Premier League transfer round-up;

Barcelona Looking At Oriol Romeu As A Long-Term Busquets Replacement

Barcelona are reportedly planning to bring Southampton midfielder Oriol Romeu back to the Camp Nou in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The midfield anchorman has been in excellent nick for the Saints and went on to win the club’s Player of the Year award earlier this month.

Romeu came through the ranks at the famed La Masia and made just one appearance for the senior team, before joining Chelsea. After a good start in London, things faded for the Spaniard, leading to loan spells at Valencia and Vfb Stuttgart, before he moved to Southampton in 2015. Since his move to the St. Mary’s the 25-year old has developed into a fine defensive midfielder and now the Barcelona chiefs are considering to take him back.

Roberto Firmino gets payed on the basis of his performance as per the forward’s goal bonus structure at Liverpool. The same book revealing details of Zlatan’s full salary, also detailed Roberto’s bonus pay-out, with hefty sums offered to the Liverpool forward for assists and goals. The book titled ‘Football Leaks: The Dirty Business of Football’ has given insights into many players’ moolah take-outs.

The book shows how Firmino earned £45,000 for a six-yard tap-in for when Liverpool won against Wartford 6-1. Liverpool heads gave him a salary of £68,085 per week when he signed in 2015. Apart from this, Firmino was lucky enough to be rewarded also for success and delivery, making his potential pay-out and purpose to perform even higher. The Brazilian definitely showed his commitment and ability to perform this season as he outperformed other players in Liverpool, surpassed his goal tally for last season and showed he has settled into the skin of the Reds.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has cleared off the air regarding Philippe Coutinho’s future at the Anfield by stating that he has no plans of selling the Brazilian wonder to Barcelona and further added that he expects some fresh pair of legs to arrive at the club coming summer.

The 24-year-old attacker has been a complete revelation for Liverpool this season and so far, has bagged 10 Premier League goals, also assisting further 6. His speed and agility has been a key to Jurgen Klopp’s 4-3-3 tactic, hence, it is quite fair to say that he will be a vital cog next season as well.

Rumours from various Spanish news outlets have been buzzing around stating that Coutinho is a firm transfer target for Barcelona and even a fee of around £70 million has been quoted as well. Besides that, what might trouble the Merseysiders is the fact that Coutinho’s national compatriot Neymar Jr. has time and again expressed his desire to play with him on the club level.

The race for a spot in top 4 further intensified in the English Premier League when teams battling it out for the coveted UEFA Champions League spot faced contrasting results. Liverpool were frustrated at Anfield after a James Milner penalty miss cost them a crucial three points at home against a stubborn Southampton in a 0-0 draw. On the other hand, Manchester United’s hopes of qualifying in the top 4 were all but squashed by Arsenal as manager Arsene Wenger finally got a Premier League victory to his name over his age-old nemesis Jose Mourinho after Arsenal beat Manchester United 2-0.

Liverpool were expected to win against Southampton at home to cement their place in the top 4, but what has become synonymous of a somewhat frustrating season, the Merseysiders flattered to deceive in the kind of match they were easily favorites to win against an inferior opponent. Credit to Southampton though, they were sturdy in defence and conceded very few chances and were well organized throughout the game. Liverpool squandered the biggest chance of the match when they were awarded a contentious penalty. The ever-reliable James Milner though could not make the most of it as he was denied by Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster from the spot in the 66th minute of the match. It was Milner’s first penalty miss of the season and the first in 7 and a half years. Liverpool piled on the pressure by introducing Daniel Sturridge but it was not enough to break down Southampton’s wall as they held on for a 0-0 draw.

Southampton travel to Anfield to take on Liverpool, in a match where both managers are fighting to justify their respective tactics this season. Jurgen Klopp has been criticised for failing to turn up for games with a plan B, and Claude Puel has been maligned for insipid performances instead of the stylish play fans are used to seeing at St. Mary’s. Southampton has been likened to Liverpool’s feeder team – with Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Lallana and Sadio Mane switching to Liverpool in recent transfer windows. While Liverpool have a top-4 slot to play for which is in their hands following lacklustre performances by Manchester United and Manchester City last week, Southampton have a tough run of five games in the next fortnight.

Many clubs have renamed their stadiums in honour of someone who played a crucial part in the club. The most recent is the renaming of Centenary Stand after legendary former player and manager Kenny Dalglish. Kenny has been voted as Liverpool’s greatest-ever player and managed the club twice during his career, both were victory leaderships.

In a statement from his side of Fenway Sports Group, John W Henry said: “In Kenny Dalglish we have a person who carries such immense significance to the fabric of this club (and we want to) recognise this in a manner befitting to the man. He is unique, not just to Liverpool, but to the game in England as a whole, having achieved greatness as a player and then enjoyed such success as a manager. His record and trophies won on both fronts speak for themselves.”

Ajax Stadium

On the other side of football in the Eredivisie league, Ajax FC has also chose to rename the Ajax Stadium to honour Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff, who passed away last year. Cruyff was most popular for his ‘total football’ which involved players moving in rotation out of positions to enhance the game. In total football, once a player moves out of position to form a better attack, another player takes over his position to keep the formation tight. Cruyff in his later years became a highly successful player and coach at Barcelona.

TV Pundit makes sensational claims about Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez, Liverpool join Manchester United in chase for Chelsea midfield maestro, Barcelona set sights on Blues’ defender to solve their right-back issues, Thibaut Courtois set for a new bumper deal to ward off interests from Spain and Christian Benteke acting as a mediator to convince defender to join Crystal Palace – here’s a round-up of all the noteworthy happenings in the transfer world of Premier League from today.

Rafael Benitez In Line To Take Over From Slaven Bilic: Stan Collymore

TV Pundit and former Liverpool star Stan Collymore has said that current Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez will be the primary target for West Ham United, if they let go of manager Slaven Bilic at the end of the season.

Benitez has led Newcastle back to the Premier League after confirming their promotion from the EFL Championship last week and his achievements will have caught the eye of the West Ham board. The Spaniard was their first-choice to take over after Sam Allardyce quit, but with Real Madrid coming calling, the Hammers had to bring in Bilic.

The Croatian boss has been struggling this term with the Hammers lying in the 15th position in the Premier League table after an excellent campaign last time around. The club hierarchy are set to review Bilic’s position at the end of the season and Collymore feels Benitez will be at the top of the East London outfit’s wishlist in case Bilic is sacked.

Brendan Rodgers, in his very first season with Celtic, guided the Bhoys to their record 48th Scottish Premiership and while speaking on the eve of club’s award, the former Liverpool gaffer branded Mario Balotelli as the best player he has ever coached.

The Hoops, so far, are unbeaten in the Premiership, having played just four draws in 34 games they have played in the league. With that being said and done, Celtic are on the verge of breaking their own record of surpassing the 100-point tally in a single season. Besides that, the former Swansea boss has also managed to lift the Scottish League Cup back in November and will be contesting to lift the domestic treble later this month in the Scottish Cup final.

Quite recently, in the end of the season awards, the 44-year-old gaffer was asked: “Who is the best player you have ever coached?”

To which, he joked, “Mario Balotelli… he was a fantastic player.”

Rodgers, while his Liverpool tenure, bought Mario Balotelli to fill the void of Luis Suarez, but the Italian failed to deliver anything positive and past summer, he was shipped off to France, joining Nice. And since then, he has been a revelation as he has scored 14 goals in just 18 starts, including that brilliant strike against the defending Ligue 1 champions PSG quite recently.

The new Liverpool away jersey was just leaked, following the official unveiling of the Liverpool home jersey for the 2017-2018 season. The home jersey had a retro look, with pinstripes and a dark red reminiscent of the ‘80s. The new away jersey has a similar tribute-like presentation, the green and white countered squares are similar to the 1996 Liverpool game the club played against Manchester United in the FA Cup final in 1996. Although United won the game with five minutes to spare, it was an iconic game etched in the memory of Liverpool’s legacy.

The simplistic retro look is what Liverpool seems to be aspiring for during its 125th Anniversary, with both kits paying tribute to the by-gone era of Liverpool football. The 1995-1996 quarter panel shirt in its new element contains slightly blueish green pinstripes in two squares and the rest of the jersey in white. Standard Chartered and all other logos are in black with a black collar. The modern interpretation of the old beloved jersey will surely have the club’s fans up in cheer; both the red home jersey and the away jersey are like none before and have a definite pride when worn by supporters.

The image of the away jersey was leaked on Twitter and while the red home jersey was designed by New Balance, the away jersey has no information associated with it and still has to have its official release before fans are satisfied.

Manchester United set to lose out on €100 million target from Italy to Chelsea, but preparing a move for a former Barcelona player playing in the Serie A, Manchester City ready to swap youngster in deal for 27-goal striker from Bundesliga, Arsenal captain Laurent Koscielny garners interest from native France and Liverpool ousted in race for left-back target from Napoli – here are the latest transfer scoops from tabloids that have been doing the rounds today:

Manchester United To Lose The Battle For Andrea Bellotti To Chelsea

Chelsea could beat rivals Manchester United to the signing of FC Torino striker Andrea Belotti as the striker wants to play in the UEFA Champions League.

The Blues are at the top of the Premier League standings and have confirmed their participation in Europe’s premiere football competition. On the other hand, Manchester United lie in the fifth place in the league, one point off the Champions League spot and face a tough fight to qualify.

Speaking to Sky Italia, Belotti said:

“The World Cup is the dream for any player, just like the Champions League.

“I never stopped to think about the weight of my price tag, because I always thought I should prove my worth on the pitch and those performances would ultimately set my value.”

Liverpool set to slap a huge price tag on striker Daniel Sturridge, Jose Mourinho looks to invade the French Ligue 1 in the summer transfer window as he plans another huge outlay, Pep Guardiola to tempt Tottenham star with a bumper contract offer and Arsenal looking at Serie A to strengthen their defence– we bring you the latest scoops in today’s transfer round-up of the Premier League.

Liverpool Place A £40 Million Valuation on Daniel Sturridge

Liverpool will allow striker Daniel Sturridge to leave in the summer, only if the £40 million valuation is met, according to reports.

The 27-year old Englishman has struggled for game time this season under Jurgen Klopp due to injury problems and when fit, he hasn’t been able to fit into the scheme of things under Jurgen Klopp. Sturridge was of interest for French heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain in the last summer and is also a target for West Ham United.

Liverpool, over the years, have made huge profits from sales of their strikers, be it Fernando Torres to Chelsea, Luis Suarez to Barcelona and more recently Christian Benteke to Crystal Palace. And with Sturridge’s future looking bleak at Anfield, the Reds believe they can sell him for a large fee in the summer.

n today’s transfer roundup, we look at the probable entries of an earlier Conte enforcer, Claudio Marchisio at Chelsea, and in Manchester City’s seasonal overhaul, Youri Tielemans. The massive Eden Hazard transfer gets another view in other Chelsea news and in more news from Manchester, Joe Hart’s future seems to be up in the air. Kevin Stewart is looking at a surprise move from Liverpool to Brighton.

The Hazard-ous question to ask

Eden Hazard has returned to the dazzling heights last seen under Jose Mourinho in May 2015, and the large clubs are circling around again with the next transfer window around the corner. If he was not ready for a major move the last time, after a season of poor form, his comeback this season is pleasing, with 15 goals and five assists in 31 games. Real Madrid have made their interest clear and will give him the No.10 role of the playmaker who runs into space and scores from distance if players such as James and Isco leave. Madrid could use more goal scorers apart from the three attackers present in the 4-3-3 system Zidane tends to use. The pressure will be on him to deliver, having seen James being relegated to the bench for his inconsistency, and he will have improved his mental strength after last season, to move to a club the size of Madrid and deliver. (The Guardian)

Claudio Marchisio to add experience to Chelsea’s midfield?

If Chelsea are set to lose Cesc Fabregas, Claudio Marchisio will add experience to a midfield lacking in an organiser and a deep-lying playmaker. Juventus are demanding £25 million, rejecting Chelsea’s £17 million bid for a player who has not been afforded many opportunities under Max Allegri this season, with 15 appearances in 34 matches. He has been loyal to Juventus so far, but would be able to move to Chelsea to work under his old coach Antonio Conte, who enabled his role in a title-winning team. At Chelsea, his role will be to provide guidance to Nemanja Matic and N’Golo Kante, along with adding steel and long-range passes from the base of Chelsea’s midfield. With Chelsea’s entry into European competition guaranteed, competition and squad depth are necessary and Marchisio is a perfect it in the 3-4-3 system Conte uses. (The Independent)

Today’s transfer roundup discusses the plausible entries of Real Madrid midfield pair of James Rodriguez and Mateo Kovacic to the Premier League, disillusioned with the playing time both have received. Hector Bellerin from Arsenal has been on Barcelona’s radar, as they need a right back. Another top right back in the Premier League, Kyle Walker, playing for Arsenal’s north London rivals Tottenham, is being linked with a move to Manchester City. Daniel Sturridge is being linked with a move to West Ham to rejuvenate his recently injury-crocked career at Liverpool.

James eyes the No.10 jersey, again

James Rodriguez was the man of the moment when he signed for Real Madrid from AS Monaco. Two seasons later, he has fallen out of favour, having to play the role of a substitute behind the galacticos in the Madrid side. He can play on the right wing and behind the striker, and Jose Mourinho would use his pace and ability to add goals to his side, with six goals and six assists in a mere 18 appearances in La Liga. With the pressure on his attackers this season, Mourinho would look to strengthen and show intent for a Manchester United side ready to return to the pinnacle of English football. James will have his work cut out, to impress his manager in training and tracking back to win the ball in matches, or as he has learned at Madrid, the price and the number on the shirt are not enough to guarantee his place in the team. (ESPN)

Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has signed a new four-year deal with the Reds which also includes an option of an additional year to 2022.

Furthermore, the Daily Mirror have quoted that this new deal will see him earning almost £100,000 a week. Lovren, who had two years left on his previous contract, reportedly stalled the contract talks earlier this season as his representatives failed to conclude the terms, however, the Croatian now has tied himself up with the club for a long-term.

Lovren, 27, joined Liverpool back in 2014 for a reported fee of £20m from Southampton and since then, he has had his highs and lows. On his day, the Croatian is one to beat, however, he has been, quite rightly, criticised mainly due to his inconsistency, which has led Liverpool to ship in a number of goals.

Making 25 Premier League appearances so far, Lovren 2 goals to his name, including that decisive strike against Chelsea earlier this season. He sure have his doubters throughout the season, but he has established himself as an undroppable personnel under Jurgen Klopp alongside Cameroon’s Joel Matip.

With Kylian Mbappe and Ryan Sessegnon seeming to join the Premier League, Willian in an inter-city transfer and Dele Alli to be held on to by Tottenham, with Cesc Fabregas on his way out; young players are the focus of most clubs through the transfer window, with value to offer through the medium-term and the ability of clubs to nurture young talent instead of looking for the finished product takes precedence.

Kylian Mbappe, the next Monaco sensation to Arsenal?

Kylian Mbappe has been making the headlines for the right reasons. He has scored __ goals in __ appearances through his first season at the club, and like most Monaco strikers who move abroad in search of better opportunities to test themselves after Ligue 1, Mbappe is set for a move to the Premier League at a bumper transfer fee and plenty of wages. Arsene Wenger admitted interest in the young striker who is moving to the top of the lists of the top clubs with the financial muscle and league standing to enter a bidding war. However, he has put Arsenal further down the list of clubs that have the financial capacity to broker the transfer, with the £85 million clause set by Monaco, and both clubs in Manchester along with the likes of Real Madrid willing to wager a deal. (Sky Sports)

Ryan Sessegnon to Liverpool

Liverpool have scoured the market for a left-back who will slot into the place without fuss and has looked within fellow English clubs for the right fit, and Ryan Sessegnon has impressed Jurgen Klopp’s scouts. With Alberto Moreno set to go and James Milner having impressed, Klopp would want a young player who can be groomed into the role. With seven goals in 28 appearances in the Championship this season, he can fit into a 3-4-3 system as a wingback, that Jurgen Klopp is likely to use to plug his leaky defence next season. He could have a fight on his hands to win a place ahead of the settled James Milner and a fit Joe Gomez, and he has shown gumption to fight and win a place in the Fulham senior team this season. (Mirror)

Liverpool FC have unveiled their new home kit for the 2017/2018 football season. The jersey has a change of fashion from older jerseys, with a focus on a retro look to commemorate the club’s 125th anniversary. The kit is part memorabilia to Liverpool days of old at their 1984 European Cup final victory over Roma, with many elements similar to the jersey worn back then.
The jersey features a white 1980s styled V-neck collar with red border, plain but worthy due to its heritage. To keep in tune to the tribute to days of old, the colour tone is now a darker red with light pinstripes to add a layer to the otherwise minimal style. The Liverpool commemorative badge features a special logo, a debossed ‘125 Years’ under the club name, celebrating the FC’s extensive legacy in the world of football. The badge is gold embroidered and gives the jersey its distinctive vintage pop. The rest of the kit shares the same style, with red shorts and red socks with a old-style white loop trim.
The jersey style may seem daring to some, with a vast change in style opting for the old instead of the new. Liverpool fans can be content with the fact that the jersey commemorates the 125th anniversary and its historical context makes it a pride statement to fans donning it.

Alexis Sanchez’s indecision over signing a new contract, the fate of Zinedine Zidane’s job at Madrid and Douglas Costa’s transfer after falling short under Carlo Ancelotti at Bayern Munich are covered in today’s transfer roundup. In addition, Edinson Cavani’s new contract in light of his contribution at PSG and relegation-destined Hull’s Harry Maguire’s saviour – Tottenham Hotspur find space here.

Will he, won’t he?

Alexis Sanchez has been the best player at Arsenal this season, and top clubs are willing to splash the cash to get him. He has not signed a contract extension, asking for a hefty pay raise in line with his contribution, which is higher than Arsenal offer. A mega-money offer from China and a dip in form owing to the way in which Arsenal have fallen apart in massive games has made him think twice about staying at Arsenal. With 19 goals and nine assists in 31 matches, he would be an asset to any club that would want to sign him for the wages he is demanding. Arsene Wenger expects Alexis Sanchez to sign a new contract, according to The Guardian. Arsene also expected Arsenal to win the league this season, and look where Arsenal are ending up: they will be lucky to get a UEFA Champions League spot.

Adding squad depth is essential for competition in the Premier League, where teams have fallen short at the finish line due to their inability to get enough points on the board to meet their objectives. With all of the top clubs eyeing European competition and two games per week potentially, everyone is looking to fortify their attacking talent. Phillippe Coutinho and Olivier Giroud, figureheads of their attacks at Liverpool and Arsenal respectively, are seemingly on their way out. On their way in are Ivan Perisic, who has a plethora of options and Patrik Schick, being eyed up by Tottenham as a young attacking talent.

Ivan Perisic: Chelsea or Manchester United?

Ivan Perisic has been linked with moves to top clubs in Europe, and Chelsea and Manchester United are ahead of their rivals in the race to sign him. Antonio Conte knows about his talent from his time at Juventus, while Jose Mourinho has been actively scouting him to add verve and pace to his team on the wings. He has nine goals in 28 games this season, and though his inconsistency in front of goal is well-documented, teams are looking to add him to add necessary squad depth. For £60m, more will be expected from him in the Premier League and if he can perform to his potential in a three-man attacking formation, his pace and skill will run opposition defences ragged. (La Gazetta dello Sport)

The Professional Footballers Association (PFA) announced the Team of The Year for the Premier League 2016-17 season earlier today.

The top two teams in the league standings, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, have four representatives each in the PFA Team Of The Year, indicating the dominance of the two sides in the domestic scenes this year.

Chelsea centre-back duo David Luiz and Gary Cahill are included in the team along with midfielder N’Golo Kante and star attacker Eden Hazard – both of whom are in the running for the PFA Player of The Year award as well. Tottenham’s quartet in the team include full-backs Kyle Walker and Danny Rose along with midfield prodigy Dele Alli and striker Harry Kane.

The three players that do not belong from the London clubs, included in the Team of the Year, are Manchester United’s David De Gea, Liverpool attacker Sadio Mane and Everton forward Romelu Lukaku – the leading goal-scorer in the competition.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has ruled out the possibility of signing the on-loan Manchester City keeper Joe Hart.

While talking about the speculation, the former Borussia Dortmund manager also revealed that their midfielder Adam Lallana will join the first team training in the latter parts of the second week, following his thigh injury. He also revealed that Danny Ings is back on his feet and is running again after he suffered a serious knee injury.

Joe Hart, on his part, has been constantly linked with a move to Liverpool mainly because of the fact that the Merseysiders have failed to defend their post for the entirety of the season. Both Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius have had their nervy moments, raising the speculation that one of them might leave the premises at the end of the season. To fill the void, a number of media outlets claimed that Joe hart could be the one, but Klopp has cleared off all the smoke regarding the same.

“He’s a fantastic keeper, the highest quality, but it’s not for us at the moment, nor in the future,” Klopp was quoted by BBC.

The 30-year-old stopper’s future is hanging in the midst of nowhere, as his current club, Torino, wants to keep him at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, but only on loan. While Manchester City sure wants to offload him, but for a sustainable fee, reported to be around £15 million.

If there is one word to describe Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s journey in football, it is inconsistency – in terms of his form, goals and injuries. From Southampton to Arsenal, he has grown as a footballer under the tutelage of the Southampton academy and then Arsene Wenger. Like most other players at Arsenal who have spent their mentoring years at the club, their careers and skills take an upward trajectory up until the point they stagnate. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott are good players who have not taken their game to the next level, where they influence games consistently. They have the talent, the ability, but they lack the final application.

With the number of attacking players in Arsenal’s ranks combined with the inflow expected next season, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain or the Ox as he is fondly called, is on the chopping block. He is not getting the game time he needs to build himself up to the rigours of the Premier League, owing to the number of players Wenger has at his disposal, and Wenger cannot play him if he is underperforming or struggling to cope with games. Liverpool have been linked to him, where Jurgen Klopp wants to build a team of pacy players who will dribble their way past opposition defenders and put in occasional tackles, too. The Telegraph and The Guardian have been talking up a £35 million transfer, as he is 23, is entering into the final year of his contract and is English, so he will add to the homegrown players in Liverpool’s ranks.

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